Alcohol is our most popular drug. In England in 2004, 74 per cent of men and 59 per cent of women reported drinking an alcoholic drink on at least one day in the week prior to interview. Fifteen per cent of men and 8 per cent of women reported drinking on every day in the previous week. Thirty-nine per cent of men and 22 per cent of women had drunk more than the recommended number of units on at least one day in the week prior to interview

Older people were more likely to drink regularly – 30 per cent of men and 19 per cent of women aged 45-64 drank on five or more days in the week prior to interview compared to 8 per cent of men and 5 per cent of women aged 16-24. Younger people were more likely to drink heavily, with 48 per cent of men and 39 per cent of women aged 16-24 drinking above the daily recommendations compared to 19 per cent of men and 5 per cent of women aged 65 and over

Alcoholic drinks consist mainly of flavoured water and ethyl alcohol (ethanol). They are made by the fermentation of fruits, vegetables or grains. Beer, lager and cider are usually about one part ethanol to 20 parts water although some brands may be twice as strong as others. Wine is about twice to four times as strong and distilled spirits such as whisky, rum and gin are about half water and half ethanol.

Below is some information on the relative strengths of various kinds of alcoholic drinks. The term ABV means ‘alcohol by volume’ or what percentage of the total liquid is actually alcohol.

The unit of alcohol measure is used to determine medical guidelines as to what are supposed to be safe levels of drinking for men and women per week. Safe drinking limits are given as daily maximums.

Authorities recommend that men should drink no more than three to four units a day and women no more than two to three units a day. It is also suggested that having one or two alcohol free days per week is wise.

What is a unit?:

* One pint of normal strength lager (3 – 3.5%) is equivalent to 2 units
* One 275ml bottle of alcopop (5.5%) is 1.5 units
* a 175ml glass of 12% wine is 2 units
* a single measure of spirits (40%) is 1 unit [1]

These are measures of alcohol as might be bought in a restaurant or pub. Many drinks poured at home will be more generous and so contain more units of alcohol.

Alcopops
Most of these have an ABV of 4 – 5.5% with a range of units from 1.5-1.75 per bottle. The most well-known brands are the alcoholic lemonades and there are also alcoholic colas, fruit flavoured drinks and those using spirits such as vodka and tequila.

Spirits
Most standard 700 ml bottles of whisky, vodka or rum have an ABV of around 40% containing 25-30 units of alcohol.

Wine
Most wines are produced with an ABV of around 10-13% in a standard 750ml bottle containing 7-10 units of alcohol. Wines from hotter climates such as Italian and Californian wines tend to be stronger at 12 to 13% ABV while those from cooler climates such as Germany are usually 8 to 10%. Therefore a regular pub glass (125ml) of 12% wine is the equivalent of roughly 1.5 units. Fortified wines are even stronger, with drinks like Buckfast and Eldorado being as strong as 17%.

Sherry is usually produced with an ABV of 15-20% giving around 13-14 units of alcohol for a typical 750ml bottle

Cider
This varies in strength from the low alcohol varieties such as Strongbow LA with an ABV of just 0.9% up to the white ciders’ with an ABV of around 8.4%. Bottles usually contain 330ml; cans 440ml. A can of one of the stronger ciders contains around 2.5-3.5 units of alcohol.

Beer and lager
Most popular types of bitter beer are around 3.5 to 4.1% ABV – giving around 2 -2.25 units for a pint and 1.5 to 1.75 units for a 440 ml can.

The strength of lager beers can vary widely and ranges from very low strength drinks like Barbican (0.02% ABV) to super strong’ lagers at anything up to 10%. But like bitter beers, many popular lagers are around 3.5-4% ABV providing 1.5-1.75 units in a 440ml can and 2-2.25 units in a pint.

A different type of alcohol produced from wood (methyl alcohol) is used in methylated spirits and surgical spirit. Some down and out alcoholics (‘meths’ drinkers) drink this type of alcohol because it is cheap. Methyl alcohol is poisonous and can cause blindness, coma and death.

Unlike most drugs, alcohol has food value and supplies calories. One gram of alcohol supplies seven calories, almost twice the number of calories as one gram of carbohydrate. A pint of beer can supply as many calories as six slices of bread. Beer provides very little protein or vitamin and distilled spirits provide none at all.